Diversionary Tactics
by f-romanoff-13
Summary: Tony, Clint and Thor walk in to the tower to find someone waiting for them. He threatens their teammates and seems to have them beat, that is until Clint notices something; everything is not what it seems. Reviews are always appreciated!


It'd been nice, Clint thought; spending some time with Tony and Thor. They'd been to the local bar; taught Thor how to play darts and had some drinks. But it was getting late; Stark wanted to get back to see what Banner was up to in the labs and Clint was beginning to feel guilty about the pile of mission paperwork he'd left Tasha with.

The three of them entered the tower laughing and joking; recounting how Thor's attempt at playing darts had resulted in a hole in the wall.

They all stopped suddenly when they entered the communal floor; a tall, menacing figure stood in the center of the room; apparently waiting for them. He wore long black cloaks lined in silver, and held a staff topped with a silver eagle.

Steve was unconscious and tied to a chair over by the table; he didn't look in too bad shape other than the blood which flowed from a deep cut to his left arm. Natasha was lay of the floor beside him; also bound and unconscious. She had a knife wound in her lower abdomen; there was an alarming amount of blood which pooled around her stomach and across the floor. Behind the couch lay Bruce; he was unconscious but wasn't tied up or handcuffed like the others, he also wasn't bleeding; but a large purple bruise was forming on the side of his face.

"How did you..." Tony began.

"Magic" The man's voice was eerily calm and smooth.

"Who..."

"My name is Kuzari"

"What do you..."

"I want you to surrender Mr. Stark; I want all of you to accompany me back to my home realm"

"And why would we..." Now it was Clint's turn to be interrupted.

"So that your friends may live" his eyes gleamed with pleasure as he delivered this piece of news.  
"They have been administered a toxin which causes progressive paralysis; soon it will prevent them from breathing. I have an antidote, but only if you agree..."

"You are not of Midgard! Why should we trust you?"

Thor's question faltered him; he was momentarily speechless until he regained his composure;  
"Can you afford to take that chance?"

Thor's question made Clint think; something seemed off; not quite right. There was a faint metallic smell in the air, and everything seemed a little blurred; like a memory you're not quite sure is real. He made his way slowly over to Natasha, Kuzari seeming to allow him; because really, what could he do? He was weaponless; they all were.

It occurred to Clint how odd it was that one lone man (even if he was from another planet) had supposedly managed to take down three of the Avengers. He wondered, even if he'd caught them unawares (and that was almost impossible to do to Nat); why there was no sign of The Hulk, he noted how the toxin seemed to have affected Steve a little too well... and Clint couldn't remember the last time Tasha had been unarmed.

Clint reached Natasha; crouching down low to move the hair from her face. He gently stroked her cheek, and then he realised... It was wrong; this whole thing was wrong. He grabbed for her left hand, turning it over to look at her palm; searching for further confirmation.

Clint stood abruptly, reaching for the chair next to Steve and swinging it full force at Kuzari, it shocked him that's for sure; knocking him off balance.

"Thor! Where's Mjolnir?"

The others had no idea what had gotten into Clint, but a second later they seemed to have decided to trust him. Springing to action Thor summoned his hammer and used it to knock Kuzari through the window.

"Not again!" Tony moaned! "How many times..."

But his thought was cut off as the forms of Steve, Bruce and Natasha shimmered into nothing, leaving only the pools of blood where Nat and Steve had been.

Tony turned to Clint:

"How did you know?"

"I knew it wasn't Tasha"

"How?"

"She was too... Perfect"

"What do you mean?"

"There's a little scar, just above her right eye; barely even noticeable. I know it's there because it's my fault; from our first meeting. But it wasn't there..."

"That's it?"

"Well... Yeah... I checked her left palm too; she has a scar there, just near her wrist. She got it running into a burning building in Marrakesh to save some idiot kid who got in the way. That scar wasn't there either. It was just little things, things no one else would notice... " Tony looked at him skeptically. "There were too many things that didn't add up; I figured they were conjured as diversions. He wanted us compliant; there was no way he could take us on alone."

A second later the elevator opened; the three other members of the team walked in, pausing momentarily to take in the scene in front of them; a gaping hole in the window, Thor wielding his hammer, a broken chair smashed to pieces on the floor and Clint stood over a rather large amount of blood.

"Did we miss the party?" Natasha asked flashing a smile in Clint's direction.

"I don't remember trips to the bar ever ending like this" Steve added.

"Dude, you're doing it wrong!" Tony answered with a grin.


End file.
